


Void’s Rift

by slyodalucifer



Category: Dauntless (Video Game)
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, F/F, Fluff, Monsters, Possible smut haven’t decided, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:00:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19019509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slyodalucifer/pseuds/slyodalucifer





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Rough Landing. 

Boots pounded into the metal flooring of the slayer skysail, Alarms were blaring, the hallways were filled with red flashing lights filled the hallways. The incessant screeching of the alarms woke the ship’s Captain, shooting up from her bed she quickly got to work in assembling her gear. Slipping into the fitted under suit of her armor, then strapping the actual armor to her body. Hardened hide from a Embermane she had slain years prior, mixed with reinforced plating along the arms and in between layers of hide on the chest plate. Her legs were protected by thin metal shinguards that offered some modicum of protection while also allowing for a good deal of maneuverability. 

Furthermore, along the thighs, her body was protected by a bone like material, cut straight from the beast’s mane. Sturdy but light, perfect for more speed. Lastly, the Captain pulled her helmet over white dyed hair. The helmet had a metal face mask that covered just the upper portion of her face, leaving the lower piece of her tanned face visible. The back of the helmet had lightweight leather strips attached, just a little flair never hurt anyone. Though, she always received comments on how the strips looked like the feathers of a bird. 

To top it all off, the armor was dyed white, just like the under suit she wore and the hair on the top of her head. Stretching slightly then grabbing her chain blades, made partly from the same Embermane as her armor. She stepped out into the hallway, where she was nearly ran over by one of the newer members of her crew. Daniel, a cheerful lad, newbie to the life aboard a slayer’s ship, but not without his talents. The runaway teenager was an amazing engineer, with a deep understanding of the a skysail’s design. The only reason the Captain agreed with her wife to make the kid aboard. 

“Sorry Captain! Just in a hurry, something hit us hard!” He yelled back already half way down the hall, the Captain just waved him off with her hand. Never a stickler for accidents or mistakes. 

With Daniel darting off down a separate hallway, probably off to repair some instrument that she couldn’t be bothered to learn the intricacies of. Walking down the ship’s main hall, the Captain grew irritated by the constant sound of the alarms. Sticking gloved hands under her helmet to plug her ears from the howling sound. Her boot thumped against the metal flooring, carrying her to the ship’s bridge. Stepping inside she spotted both her wife, Allison, and her best pal Ragnus. The two were darting back and forth from the console to console, eyeballing readouts for various systems. 

“What’s the all hubbub about?” She questioned. Allison turned and smiled sweetly at her, before her expression returned to the stressed version it had prior. Her hair was a dark black, sitting on top of a lightly tanned and well fit body, with eyes that were a soft hazel. 

“Hey, sweetheart. Ragnus! Fill her in, I’ve got to check on the starboard sail!” Allison called, rushing to the door the Captain was still standing in front of. Pausing to plant a kiss on her cheek, then brushing past her. 

The Captain smiled, her wife was sweet even in the most stressful situations. Stepping, around the center console the Captain pat her friend on the shoulder. 

“Hey, Vin...” Ragnus greeted, while fighting the controls of the ship. Vin being a nickname, short for Vinity, her actual name. 

“Care to tell me why it looks like you’re trying to break the flight controls off my ship?” Vinity asked with a lighthearted chuckle that was shared by the ginger. 

“Well, if you can’t be bothered to look out the window...” He teased through a couple of grunts from battling the ship’s slight starboard slant. “...were in the middle of a fucking storm.” 

Turning her head to look out side the observation windows of the bridge, the Captain surveyed the thundering dark clouds outside. It was chaotic, streams of light flashed rapidly through the clouds in erratic patterns, and rain battered the reinforced glass. It looked to be a pretty terrible storm, one of the worst she’d seen in a long while. Slightly concerned now, Vinity looked back to her friend. 

“Damage?” Vinity asked, crossing her arms as she then continued to survey the raging storm outside.

“The starboard sail seems to be unresponsive, we took a hit from some lighting. So, if I had to guess it did something to the sail.” Ragnus answered. 

“I’ll be honest with you Vin, I’ve never been in a storm quite like this.”

“I’m guessing that’s bad thing?” The Captain’s question was more rhetorical joke, than actual inquiry. Raising her eyebrow behind the helmet, and adding a slight lean to her stance. 

“Yeah, you could fucking say that.” Ragnus replied with a anxious sigh. 

“The starboard sail is completely gone!” Allison shouted, after hurrying back into the room and taking position by the ship’s center console. 

“All of it?!” Ragnus exclaimed, fearful disbelief clearly present in his voice. 

“Yes, all of it!” 

“Fuck fuck fuck, that’s not good!” He cursed. 

Without warning a bright arc of light erupted from the dark storm clouds. Lightening jumping around through droplets of rain, before slamming into the bow of the ship, scarring the heavy wooden exterior. Followed by a booming cracking sound a combination of energy discharged by the electricity, and the sound of the glass cracking. The force of the strike alone was enough to create jagged cracks through the bridge’s reinforced glass. The Captain and her friend, had to grab hold of the control console to avoid falling as the ship shook. 

“Captain, if this keeps up I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep her in the air!” Ragnus stressed, already fighting a hard battle to keep the ship semi-level. 

“Do the best you can. Allison?” Vinity called back, moving from the front of the bridge back to the center console beside her. “Keep Daniel updated~” 

“Already on it, dummy.” The noirette interrupted tersely, the serious nature of their situation was a little more stress than she wanted to deal with today. 

“Hey, relax. We’ll be fine, beautiful.” The Captain reassured, but she spoke to soon. The cracks in the glass were starting to spread, the harsh winds of the storm were exploiting the weakness in the material. 

“Really?!” Allison gave her wife a annoyed look, to which she replied to by throwing her hands up to the side indignantly. 

“How is that my fault?” 

“Dear, as much as I love you. You, REALLY, need to learn to not jinx things.” Her wife chided, Vinity simply squinted her eyes and recoiled her head in a, ‘how was that even remotely my fault’, look. 

With a roll of her eyes, Allison looked back to the displays in front of her, running her hands through her hair with a growl of frustration. The Captain was worried about her, admittedly the situation was dire, but they needed to keep a cool head and focus. Placing a gloved hand on her lover’s shoulder, dragging her attention away from the flashing readouts. 

“Relax, you need to keep a cool head alright? Remember those breathing exercises we practiced?” Vinity said, locking her blue eyes onto worried hazel. Slowly the woman nodded. “Ok good, breath in and breath out slowly.”

Gradually Allison drew in a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity and holding it in. Then she let the air out in a shaky exhale, repeating the practice several times until she felt the tension dissipate bit by bit. With her anxiety under control, she hugged her Captain, thankful for her being so caring. Vinity pressed her nose into the smaller woman’s hair, kissing the top of her head eliciting a relieved sigh from Allison. 

“I’ve got you, no matter what. You know this.” The Captain mumbled into her wife’s hair, she’d protect the one she loved until the day her breath was drawn. Which could be any day, so Vinity made sure to put forward her due diligence on every hunt or assignment involving her crew. 

“Hey, look the cute stuff is real sweet and all. But, seriously cut the shit out and help me keep this damn ship in the air!” Ragnus yelled at them, and he was right, now wasn’t the time for cutesy stuff. 

Allison flustered from having their tender hug interrupted, went back to monitoring the console and managing the tasks to be assigned to Daniel. Lookin out the cracked window, Vinity swore the storm was worse than before, the weather in the shattered isle was getting worse and worse every year it seemed. How had this snuck up on them as well? Before leaving port they made sure that the weather reports along their course were in the clear. Was this just bad luck, or something major affecting the isles? 

The ship was rattled by another strike of lightening, unprepared for the violent shaking, the Captain was nearly knocked on her ass. But, she managed to grab hold of a support beam before that could happen. Straightening herself she noticed the console beeping angrily and flashing red. 

“Damage report?” She ordered, and Allison’s eyes went wide with worry glancing over the console. 

“We...we just lost the upper sail. Ballast tanks one and two are leaking. We can’t maintain this altitude...” The altimeter was speeding through numbers on a steady decline, there was little they could do. Ragnus could only try and ensure the landing was a good one. 

Suddenly Daniel stumbled onto the bridge, leaning on the entrance’s frame, clutching his side and breathing heavily. Blood leaked through his hand from a wound on his left side, staining his clothes with a red tint. The Captain rushed to his aid and slowly helped him into her chair. He needed the seat more than she did, the amount of blood he was covered in was proof enough. 

“What the hell happened to you?” Vinity asked urgently. Moving his hand and ignoring the pained groans that came from him, tentatively she looked over the wound. 

“I was...checking the u-upper sail...and it just...fucking exploded.” Daniel explained, semi-shellshocked by the explosion. The ship shook again, this time the Captain really was knocked on her ass. Grumbling in annoyance, the slayer picked herself off the floor. Returning to the Daniel’s aid, the gash in his side wasn’t severe, though not something he could walk off. 

“Im gonna try and bring us in nice and easy, but just brace yourselves just in case!” Ragnus cautioned, fighting the controls in a back and forth tug of war. Vinity took heed and moved the injured teen from the chair and behind the rear consoles. 

With the boy situated she stood and looked out the window, the ship was on a collision course with one of the many islands of the shattered isles. Closing in fast by the looks of it. 

“Rags! We’re coming in a little hot!”

“Yeah, I can fucking see that!” 

“Well?” 

“What do you mean ‘well’ ?” Ragnus asked in confusion, as controlling their decent was taking most of his concentration. 

“I don’t know, can’t you slow us down or something?!” Vinity yelled back. 

“I have been, dumbass! This as slow as we can go!” 

“Hey! Don’t you give me that sass, I was just asking!” 

They were in for one bumpy landing. 

As the seconds passed by, their imminent crash grew closer. Midway through the collision course the bridge’s reinforced glass started to splinter. The wind battering the hull of the ship had increased in strength due to their sudden decline. Ominous groaning and creaking noises emanated from the reinforced panes, holding back the violent enemy as long as they could. The Captain, as though she could see into the future, vaulted over the rear console. Behind the center, she grabbed Allison and pulled her down into cover right as the panes gave way. Spraying the bridge with shards of tough glass, ripping holes into the front of the console. 

Next was the impact. 

Wrapping her arms around her lover, Vinity was ready to take the full brunt of the collision, shielding Allison from injury. To anyone who didn’t know the noirettes skill set they’d think this selfless act stupid. But in fact it wasn’t, it was rather intelligent. Before the Captain had met the woman, she worked as a doctor for the slayer clinic in Ramsgate. Treating all the reckless adventurers that fought back the behemoths starving the isles of its precious Aether. 

Treating Vinity, after her encounter with the same Embermane her armor came from, the Captain turned out the be quite the charmer. Allison eventually decided she wanted to see more than just the little islands dotted around Ramsgate. Not only that but she’d fallen hard for the slayer, and so they the doctor turned adventurer left the clinic in the hands of her protege. 

Thus If they survived the crash, then the medical professional should be the one that walks away the least scathed. 

The bottom of the ship slammed into the rocky terrain of the island first. Jolting the ship upward and tossing the Captain with her wife wrapped protectively up and over the center console, to slam back down the floor from gravity. The breaking of more glass and screeching of metal against solid rock was like nails on a chalk board. Piercing her ears and forcing her eyes to squint from the ringing pain. The ship scrapped for what felt like a good two hundred feet, if she had to guess. The chaotic ride calmed down as the ship slid to a steady halt at the edge of a ravine. 

But it wasn’t over. 

Bow tipping over the edge, just enough that the floor of the bridge angled down slightly. The Captain felt herself beginning to slip towards the broken windows, not good. Removing one had from it’s hold on Allison she tried to grab at something, anything. The floor, loose wiring, broken pieces of the ship. But, her hands couldn’t grasp anything, each safety net she tried just slipped from her grip. Unable to stop them from sliding over the edge to awaiting drop, Vinity prepared herself for the agonizing pain she was about to experience. 

“Allison, what ever you do don’t let go of me. I’ve got you.” The Captain instructed. 

Just as the two lovers slipped over the edge, something clawed at Vinity’s back. Tearing through the exposed under suit of her lower back and deep into her skin. Ripping a gut wrenching scream from the Captain’s throat but that was all, she had to focus as then the plummet began. Wir whisked past her ears as they fell helplessly down the ravine. The slayer could feel her wife’s grip around her neck tighten and then go lax. Seeing the ground getting closer and with only a few seconds to react. Vinity twirled herself in the air, putting her back to the ground instead of Allison’s. 

Then she felt it hit mud, which providing barely any cushioning as it was only a thin layer covering the solid dirt underneath. The wind was knocked clean out of her, back arching and mouth agape in an attempted shout of agony. Nothing came out with little air in her lungs. The Captain’s back screamed at her brain in outrage, furious for being put through such abuse. It was so painful she nearly blacked out, however being a seasoned slayer Vinity willed herself to stay conscious. 

Taking several minutes to regain her senses and ability to breath steadily, she fought through the pain radiating in pulses through her back, and sat up. Rain pattered against the leather hide of her armor. Soaking through the under suit and onto her skin, a cool breeze blew through the length of the ravine, chilling the slayer enough to cause shivers. Loosening the protective wrapping she had her wife wrapped in, she found that the doctor’s eyes were closed. Likely having fainted from the overwhelming fear of falling such a height.

What ever happened on the way down wasn’t important. Brain kicking into survival mode, Vinity adjusted her carry of the unconscious beauty into a bridal type carry. Keeping her lover’s head tucked under her chin to keep the rain off her face as best as possible. They needed shelter, staying in the rain wasn’t an option. Nor was staying underneath the unstable wreckage.

Getting her legs under herself, the slayer stood up and attempted to take a step. Instead of finding successful movement, Vinity dropped to her knees. Searing pain in her back was keeping her down, it wouldn’t work for long though.

“Get up! You useless fucking moron, get the fuck up!” She growled to herself, “GET UP DAMNIT!” 

Harsh word always seemed to do the trick, slowly but shakily the Captain found her footing and started her search for shelter. 

~End~


	2. Aftermath

Chapter 2: Aftermath 

The rain had picked up at some point,  
turning into a heavy heavy down pour rather than a steady down pour. Vinity was soaked completely, head to toe, her under suit squeaked and squished like leather which it essentially was. Being drenched in rain was just trivial stuff anyways, she was a slayer after all. Sometimes the job required stalking a behemoth, slowly, taking days to plan their attack or for the beast to drop it’s guard. But that wasn’t her concern, rain combined with wind didn’t bode well for Allison’s health. If the Captain didn’t get her out of the rain soon, she’d likely develop a cold she had to make. 

Having been walking for several minutes, at a brisk pace despite the pain in her back. The Captain had managed to reach an opening in the ravine, a steep split in the rocky walls. Crumbled bits of smaller boulders made perfect stepping stones to climb up. Eyeing the opening carefully and then looking to her right and left, seeing miles of more ravine, this was their only exit. Vinity was hesitant to start climbing because her hands were occupied with carrying precious cargo. However, that hesitation was quickly whisked away as the body in her arms began to shift with a bitter groan. Catching her attention, the Captain looked down at half lidded hazel eyes and smiled as relief washed over her. 

“Alli?” Vinity whispered, crouching down to take a few minutes to evaluate her wife’s state. Still shielding the woman’s face from the rain with her body. 

“S-Snow?” Allison muttered, still half confused as to where she was and what was going on. Save for the only thing she could make out for certain, her Captain’s signature armor and light blue eyes. 

The slayer chuckled at the use of her pet name, given to her by the doctor because of her pure white hair. “Hey beautiful, you alright?” 

“I...y-yeah, I think so...” She answered, looking around to get a sense of her surroundings, Vinity could see her brows scrunch up in confusion. “What~?”

“We crashed, love. Ship went down on a nearby ridge, but we fell through the window and into this ravine.” The Captain explained, with a light laugh at how unfortunate the past few hours had been. 

“Oh...right...” Allison sighed, with the memories of the recent event to the forefront of her mind. 

“I’m trying to get us out of this stupid pit and into some shelter.” Vinity detailed further, looking up for a split second at the gap in front of them. “Hey, sweetheart?” 

“Hmm?” Her wife groaned, rubbing her eyes to keep them from closing out of exhaustion. 

“Do you think you can hold on to me while I uhh...yah know. Get us out of here?” She asked, smirking as she was given a playfully annoyed glare. 

“You’re asking me to do things after I just woke up?” Allison complained, knowing her Captain could tell she was joking. 

“Ohhh, I’m dreadfully sorry your highness. My apologies for being so inconsiderate.” Vinity teased back, earning an incredulous eye roll that made her laugh deeply. 

The laugh was cut short, as her voice was choked by pain. The cut in her back wasn’t all too welcoming of loud bouts of laughter. Her wife wasn’t foreign to the typical sounds of someone in pain, she knew instantly what was wrong

“You’re hurt...” Allison commented softly, voice taking on a more caring and worried tone. 

The Captain bowed her head in shame, she hated when Allison discovered her injuries. The doctor would always worry, and Vinity never liked making her worry. Rather tough it out than have her lovely wife waste her energy and expertise on her.

“I’ll be fine...let’s just get you out of the rain, okay?” The Captain dismissed, a classic tactic and that’s why the immediate look she received was disbelieving. 

“I guess...” Allison sighed in defeat, for now...

“Just climb onto my back, and don’t let go.” The slayer said, releasing hold of her wife as she stood up on her own. 

The noirette nodded in acknowledgment, and stepped behind the Captain, then wrapped her arms around her neck. Vinity leaned forward slightly, allowing her wife to jump up and wrap her legs around a strong waist. With the full weight of the doctor displaced on the source of her pain, the slayer felt the her back scream in outrage. Slapping her across the face with a mind numbing level of aching pain. Her back was know doubt internally bruised from the fall and the cut definitely didn’t make it any better. 

The Captain did her best to hide the pain from Allison. But, the doctor was well aware of the strain she was placing on her slayer, just by how long it took her to fully stand. No comments were made though, knowing from experience that it would only irritate the Captain. 

“Okay, here we go.” Vinity groaned, stepping up to the split in the ravine and placing her left foot on the first rock. Using the leverage to put her right up on the next, while also latching onto the rocks above her with her hands. Then the climb started. 

Always ascending with her left foot first, followed by the other appendages. Steadily she made her way up the rock face, but not blindly trusting nature as she checked every rock with a solid kick or hard pull. Some fell loose and she let them tumble down to the bottom of the ravine, before testing another. After a minute of paced climbing they had made it half way, moving her right foot she put it on what she thought was a secure position. But, as the slayer put her weight on the foot hold her boot slipped, startling the captain. Allison expecting a painful fall to follow, yelped in fear right next to the Captain’s ear. 

“Fuck...babe, relax we’re fine.” Vinity reassured, having reacted in time to find solid footing on another rock.

“Oh...I...sorry.” She mumbled in embarrassment, nuzzling her face into the Captain’s neck which was a welcome comfort to Vinity’s nerves. Accepting the apology with an understanding hum, the slayer continued on her climb. 

Another minute later they reached the top, hoisting her wife and herself over the edge. Having spotted a rock overhang perfect for shelter as her head peaked over the edge, she didn’t stop to let Allison down, hurrying to safety. Once under the overhang, Vinity dropped clumsily to her knees in exhaustion. Panting for air, the felt the weight on her back, and then the sound a shocked gasp. 

“Oh my god...” Allison whispered, after getting off the her lover’s back her focus had been snagged by an unusual amount of red on the typically white armor. The doctor was annoyed with herself for missing such an obvious injury. 

“I’m fin~ahh!” The Captain was cut off by a stinging sensation as her wife touched the gash in her back. A lengthy cut, stretching from the bottom of her back, up to where her armor’s back plate started. Deep, but not enough that some solid stitching couldn’t fix. Mud was stuck underneath the pieces of torn skin, and some inside the cut itself. 

“Are you kidding me?!” Allison yelled, scolding the slayer who cowered her head down in shame. Being yelled at by the one she’d die for willingly, never sat well with the Captain. “How?” 

No response. 

“Look at me!” Her wife growled, grabbing Vinity by the arm and jerking her around to make direct eye contact. “Answer me, how did this happen?” 

“W-When we fell out of t-the ship...something sharp caught me mid slide.” The Captain stuttered quietly, like a child who was in process of being reprimanded by their mother. 

Admittedly, that’s what it felt like each and every time the doctor raised her voice at her Captain. A sense of powerlessness that forced Vinity to simply sit there like a frightened child, taking the verbal beating. Never arguing back. It was torturous, regardless of how much the Slayer deserved the scolding. Yet, in the end it was worth it, anything for the woman in front of her always was. 

Huffing in anger, Allison turned her wife around and ran through procedures that were instinctual to her. First, they needed to clean the wound. 

“Come here.” Allison ordered with a tug of the slayer’s hand, and of course, Vinity obeyed. Standing up to be led toward the edge of the over hang, where a small steady stream of run off water trickled over the side. “Sit!”, came the next command. Like a puppy, the Captain sat down under the dripping water. 

It splashed onto the plates adorning her back, feeling a hand push on her back, she let it guide her movements. Stopping once the hand let go, the stream now pouring onto the open wound. Soothingly cool but also stingingly rough, the sound of satchel being opened told the seasoned hunter in on what was to come next. 

Allison, kept a satchel with her at all times, stocked with basic medical supplies. Gauze, cleaning cloth, needle and tough but thin thread, an antiseptic solution, and for smaller wounds some simple bandages. Removing the cleaning cloth and bottle of antiseptic fluid from the satchel, she closed the satchel. Then opened the bottle and doused the cloth in the disinfectant solution, then methodically got to business cleaning the wound. The second, cloth grazed the deep cut, the Captain jerked away alarmed by the sudden burning sensation. 

“Stay still!” The doctor snapped, forcing Vinity back into place with an annoyed yank. 

The slayer clenched her hands into fists and tensing her muscles until they were stiff, bracing for more of the burning feeling. As expected, the burning returned, garnering this reaction from the Captain due to the size and deep nature of the injury. More sensitive nerves, could be sizzled by the fluid than if it were some measly scratch or cut. 

“You’re such a baby.” Allison remarked, slowly rubbing away the mud clinging to the wound. The black haired doctor, expected their to be a rebuttal from her wife but there was none. Vinity was still too ashamed to say anything. 

“Hey.” She cooed, pausing her ministrations to gently hug Vinity from behind. Wrapping her arms around the Captain, feeling a held in breath leave her lover’s lungs. Undoing the straps to her slayer’s helmet she removed it and nuzzled into Vinity’s cheek. “I’m sorry for being harsh. But, you are a hand full....and a baby.” 

“I’m not a baby...” The Captain defended softly, leaning back into her wife’s hug and gentle nuzzle. Sighing at the loving comfort she was receiving after being through the ringer. 

“You kinda are, Snow.” Allison giggled, kissing her cheek sweetly and reaching to hold one of the slayer’s hands. A smile spreading across her lips that stayed for a whole before turning to a very serious look. “When will you stop risking your life, for me?” 

This took Vinity by surprise, eyes shifted around nervously as she turned her head away, thinking. After half a minute of silence the Captain knew what she was going to say. 

“I know...that it’d make you happy if I did but...I can’t. I’ll defend you until the day I die, and even in the afterlife, I’ll still defend you.” Vinity finally answered, sighing as a kiss was applied to her neck and a thumb rubbed at her right cheek. “You mean everything to me, Beautiful.” 

Allison thumbed over the scar across the slayer’s right eye and cheek, before speaking. “...I knew you’d say that.” She said in defeat, leaning back from her lover to start working at the wound again. The cold was getting to the doctor, because her nose was starting to run forcing her to sniffle. A sound that didn’t miss the keen ears of the Captain, who silently chastised herself for being unable to save her wife from sickness.

“You’re catching a cold, Love.” Vinity voiced, turning her head back as far as it could then relying on her eyes to see the woman behind her. 

“Mmm, I’m aware. Though, you will too and might I add, you also have a giant gash in your back.” 

“I’ve had worse.” 

Allison scoffed in mild amusement, finding the slayer’s ability to just shrug such a serious injury off with ease. In spite of how funny it seemed, it wasn’t at all incorrect. Vinity had suffered more severe lesions in the past, sometimes with multiple adorning her body at the same time. Often leaving her body dripping with blood and sweat from over exertion, coming back in that condition so many times that Allison had lost count. Each time, the doctor patched her up, only to have her handiwork undone days later. 

“You say this like I don’t already know.” Allison commented. 

The wound was clean, now time for the fun part, closing it with stitching. The sound of the satchel opening a second time filled Vinity with dread, she knew what was coming. Only her wife knew the Captain’s phobia of needles, she hated the way they stabbed. Especially with those that were used to administer medicine, those were the worst since they went deep and bruised muscle as the solutions they contained were emptied into the recipients body. 

Feeling a piercing sensation in her skin, the Captain’s back lurched forward and her hands squeezed thighs with an almost god like force. 

“Fucking! WARNING?! HELLO?” She shouted in a surprised fit. Hearing the noirette giggle mischievously to herself,  
having given no indication on purpose. 

“Hahaha, my bad!” The slayer didn’t even have to look, to know that Allison had a wicked grin plastered on that face of hers. 

“Oh, yeah...I’m sure it just slipped your fucking mind!” 

The doctor raised an eyebrow at being cussed at, halting her sewing, she leaned into Vinity. Chuckling next to the Captain’s ear with a devilish tone.

“Would you like me to do it again?” 

“N-No...I’m good! Yep, totally fine!” 

“Aww, who’s a good slayer? You are.” Allison teased, placing a kiss behind the woman’s ear. An annoyed grumbled left the Captain’s throat and she simply laughed at it. 

“Jerk...” Vinity mumbled. 

“I love you too.” 

The banter died down as the cut was slowly sewn shut. The procedure caused fresh blood to seep out from the wound, dripping down the tanned skin of her back. The streaks of crimson red were wiped up by the cleaning cloth, after the final few inches of stitching was threaded through tough skin.

“Do you think Daniel and Ragnus survived?” The doctor asked, deeply worried about the livelihood of the teenager the greatest. Ragnus could handle a beating her was a slayer also, admittedly a retired one, but a slayer none the less. 

“Ragnus? Yes. Daniel? I...I don’t know. His wound wasn’t grave but it wasn’t a simple scrape either.” Vinity replied, turning around to look at her wife equally sharing her concern. “It’s possible, but don’t get your hopes up...okay?” 

Hearing this, Allison felt spirits drop knowing the Captain was once again, probably correct in her assumptions. Her head drooped down in sadness, but stopped as her chin was caught by a finger that gently pushed up. There was only one person it could belong to. 

“Now I didn’t say, ‘he’s dead babe’, did I?” 

“N-No...”

“Yeah, so keep your hopes up but don’t let it guide you. Hope should always hold the hand of Reason, supporting him as Reason guides Hope to and fro.”

“I-I know. I’m just scared that the kid didn’t make it, he was so helpful, kind, and young. He doesn’t deserve to die just yet.” 

“I agree, but don’t worry too much. We’ll search the crash in the morning. I didn’t see either of them fall, so with any luck, they’re still at the ship.” 

“Alright.” Allison whispered, letting the Captain wrap strong arms around her and attempt to keep her warm with her own body heat. Blowing hot air onto her neck to assist with the intended goal. 

Eventually the doctor let fatigue take hold, head lolling back onto the slayer’s chest and drifting into a comfortable sleep. Vinity, however, stayed awake to not only keep Allison warm, but to also ease her paranoia and watch for danger. 

~End~


	3. Damage Assessment

Chapter 3: Damage Assessment 

Wet grass crunched softly under the heavy boots of the white armored slayer as she walked. The storm had subsided and the Captain managed to shimmy the doctor off her lap, allowing the freedom to go gather wood for a fire, which she was currently doing. Making sure to grab only sticks that were under the cover of trees, where they would be less wet and easier to ignite. Not only broken branches, but also anything that would assist in kindling the fire. 

Approaching one of said trees, Vinity bent down and began looking over the sticks scattered about the base. Picking one up to peel back the bark using a hunting knife she kept handy at all times. Then the Captain checked the wood underneath, checking for damp patches, if there were any, they’d be discarded. Repeating the tedious work, until she believed there was sufficient fuel. Though, that wasn’t the only thing biding the Captain to stop, it was the pain enveloping her back and the obnoxious cold that now plagued her. 

Bending over so many times hadn’t ripped the stitching of the wound, but it had caused it to ache, and the cold only frustrated her due to the constant sniffling. Leaning down one last time she felt her legs suddenly falter, dropping her to her knees. The seasoned slayer also lacked sleep, a vital necessity that any warrior required a reasonable amount of to function properly. Their previous mission was long and exhausting, so when the ship was being pummeled out of the sky, the slayer was also having some much needed rest rudely interrupted. Cussing furiously, the Captain forced herself to stand, slowly putting one foot under the other Vinity pushed herself upright. 

Now fully standing, she growled in frustration at all the misfortunate happenings as of late. Finding herself overcome with annoyance and anger Vinity turned on the tree next to her and began to slam her fist into it repeatedly. Thankful for the padding of her suit’s gloves, other wise her hands would get scratched and cut like no other with how hard she swung. The angry tantrum didn’t last for much longer as she heard footsteps gently padding up behind her. The sounds were familiar to her so there was no need to react in a hostile manner, as soft arms wrapped around her midsection. Followed by a soothing kiss applied to her neck. 

“Snow.” Allison finally whispered, “You must relax.” 

The leather of Vinity’s gauntlets began to creak and stretch as she clenched her fists tightly in a new found frustration. 

“Relax?!” She suddenly yelled, “How can I relax Allison?!! I’ve got a cut in my back, you have a cold, my ship is in a million pieces, and I have no god damn Idea where we are!” 

Allison wasn’t phased by the abrupt outburst, she knew it was just the Captain venting her anger after all. Moving her hands away from her wife’s midsection, the noirette softly rubbed the slayer’s arms. Hoping it would do something to calm her down, as she turned the slayer around to make eye contact. Staring at the blue eyes of her captain Allison could see the dark rings underneath them, at this she sighed and she shook her head disapprovingly. 

“Why didn’t you sleep?” She asked, sliding her hands down her wife’s arms until they reached the hands which they slowly entangled fingers with. 

“I-I did sleep.” The Captain defended with a taken back expression. Earning a soft and warm giggle from the lovely woman in front of her. 

“My dear slayer, when will you learn that you can’t lie to me? Hmm?” She wondered, a smile spread across her lips. “You have bags under your eyes and you’re acting grumpy.” 

“I am not.” Vinity scoffed, shifting her eyes away from Allison in an attempt to boost her confidence in the fib. Once again, she only got the sweetest giggle she’d ever heard. 

“Are too.” Allison quipped before leaning forward to peck her Captain on the lips with a kiss. “Relax, for me please? We can go check on the ship, maybe it isn’t as bad as we think it is.“ 

Sighing, the Captain relented and allowed Allison to take hold of her left hand. Nodding in the direction of their downed sky ship, Allison started led her wife by the hand to the wreckage. It was time to assess the total extent of their situation, could they radio for help, establish adequate shelter, or salvage any equipment. More importantly they could learn the fate of the rest of her four man crew. Hopefully they were alive. 

“I’m sorry...” Vinity spoke suddenly, “For yelling at you.” 

“Mmm, you know you don’t have to Snow.” Allison hummed, rubbing her thumb back and forth over the back of her lover’s hand. 

“I-I know, it just makes me feel better if I do.” The Captain conceded, earning a sweet giggle and smile from Allison as she started to lead the slayer towards the smoke cloud. The only clear indication of where their crashed sky-ship was located. Vinity followed with little resistance, wincing slightly as the pace was brisk and agitated her cut. 

“Babe, a little slower if you could. My back doesn’t like that.” The slayer voiced. 

“Suck it up, Honey. I married a slayer, a damned good one, you can handle a little jog.” Allison teased, to which Vinity simply huffed in response. The two continued on to finally lay their eyes upon their grounded ship. 

~Two Minutes Later~ 

Allison tugged on the slayer’s hand as she led her towards the crashed ship, pulling her through bushes and low tree branches alike. Sometimes going so fast, that the branches didn’t have time to reset to their original position as the doctor brushed passed them. With the Captain right behind to receive slap after slap to the face. Death by tree branch wasn’t the ideal way for a slayer to go down, but it would be a funny tale. One she didn’t want to be main character in. 

But, she wasn’t about to complain again knowing that Allison was just in a hurry to check on the others. Of course she was, being the doctor of the crew that was in her job description. However, it went beyond that, the doctor treated the small four man crew like her own miniature family. She would often go out of her way to treat then as such, one time she even threw Daniel a birthday party. He hadn’t one of those in god know how long. Being a runaway he tended to forget about childish things like birthday parties, and instead focused more on which slayer he could scrape the tiniest of jobs from. The Captain remembered the shock and happiness that came across the kid’s face when Allison surprised him with it. He practically bursted into tears on the spot. 

A much larger branch of a bush snapped Vinity out of her thoughts by slapping her across the forehead. Growling the Captain put her hand up to her forehead and gently rubbed the red mark splay across it. Luckily it was the last, as they came out of the brush and into the clearing made by the ships crash landing. A screaming if excitement came from Allison as she spotted the other two members of their crew. Letting go of the Captain’s hands Allison sprinted off towards the two of them. The screaming sound made Ragnus, who was currently setting several boxes down next to a makeshift shelter by the side of the ship, turn around in surprise. Just in time to be nearly tackled by the Captain’s wife. 

“Oh! Holy crap Allision, I thought something was trying to eat me.” Ragnus chuckled, hugging the woman back gently. She giggled back before letting go of the man to look over at Daniel. The teen sat on the edge of a foldable cot, the speed with which they had set up camp surprised the Captain. Upon closer inspection the kid seemed more beat up than Vinity remembered. His arm was in a sling and the kid leaned heavily on his left side. 

“What happened to you, kid?” Vinity asked, finally having walked the distance the doctor chose to run. Sighing silently to herself since she could feel some of the worry slip from her shoulders. 

“Well, Cap. Aside from the getting caught up in an explosion~” Daniel was in the middle of explaining when Ragnus bursted into laughter. 

“He fell a good fifteen feet, landed on his arm, and dislocated his shoulder.” The ginger bellowed, the laughter making Daniel flustered and annoyed. 

“Well maybe if SOMEONE hadn’t dropped me it wouldn’t have happened!” He challenged, grunting in pain and leaning more into his side. The gash from the explosion was starting to hurt a little more. 

Allison took to his aid, taking off her satchel and pealing back the makeshift bandaging covering the wound. The cut was mildly dirty, who ever patched it up did a shoddy job. If she had to guess it was probably Ragnus, turning around Allison scolded him with a look that told hims she expected better. 

“What?! Not like I had much to work with. I was trying to save the kid’s life!” He said defensively, “Besides, I knew you’d be back. That woman would fall twice as high and still take the landing for you.” He said, motioning his head to the Captain. Who, at the mentioning of her selflessness, put her hands out to the side as if to say ‘what the fuck are you dragging me in for?’ 

 

“Ahem! Moving on...please.” The Captain interrupted, before things got loud and screamy. “Rags?” 

“Yeah?” He answered, moving a few boxes from one place to another. 

“What’s the status on the ship?” Vinity inquired, well aware that it wasn’t going to be flying anytime soon. But, she still wanted some idea of the damage, what could and couldn’t be salvaged.

“Well, the bow of the ship is fucked up beyond belief. The inner hull might be salvageable, depends on how bad the fire damage is.” He paused to take a deep breath, relived to finally be discussing important matters. It’d be a shame to just scuttle the ship and call for a pick up. “The stern portions, are in relatively good condition, we could probably salvage a good deal of parts from that.” 

“Excellent, any idea on the status of our cargo holds. Food, equipment, medical supplies?” Vinity probed further, they’d be here for a decent time. So, it was essential to get as many supplies from the wreckage as they could before the interior fires ruined it all. 

“My guess is that it’s all broken up and thrown about from the crash. But I reckon the cargo is in good condition.” Ragnus guessed, gradually stroking the ginger beard he’d taken pride in growing, since the end of his days as a slayer. 

“Have you gone inside at all?” The Captain asked, making her way over to one of the the lower side doors which was a good twenty to twenty five feet off the ground. Beckoning with her hand for Ragnus to follow her. 

“Ha! No, I’m not as spry as I once was. You know that much, so theres no way I’d even try and get inside that wreck.” Ragnus chuckled, walking directly behind the slayer as she eyeballed the side door. 

“Yeah, I know. That beer belly of yours really tells.” Vinity said, playfully patting her friend on the shoulder. Laughing at the annoyed expression flashing across the man face at the comment. 

“Wh~ Hey! I’m not that fat!” Ragnus exclaimed, slightly offended by the Captain’s implications. 

“You aren’t fat but you sure as hell aren’t fit.” Allison chimed in while still working on the younger crew member. Methodically sewing up the gash in Daniel’s side until it was sewn shut. Then checking on the previously dislocated shoulder. 

“Rude much?” 

“Simply agreeing with what you said.” The doctor replied smugly, earning a little giggle from her wife. Daniel’s arm was fine for the most part, the kid just had to make sure he didn’t strain it once it left the sling. 

“Anyways, I’m going to see if there’s anything I can scrounge up in there. I’ll pass it down to you when I’m done” Vinity explained, Ragnus stroked his beard before answering. 

“Sounds fine by me.”

With the plan agreed upon, the Captain grabbed the chain blades on her back and readied them. Raising the right blade, she then brought down onto the wooden hull of the ship. Piercing the material and securing a good grip she started to shimmy her way up to the door. One stab at a time, Upon reaching the side door she latched the left blade to her back and started to tug on the bulkhead handle to open the door. It was putting up a good fight, so much so that the slayer was beginning to think the door was simply jammed and wouldn’t open at all. 

“Stupid fucking door! Do you know who I am? I own you, I’m Captain of this ship damnit! Gahh, Mother fucker!” Raising her boot she primed a kick, then let loose and slammed her boot into the handle. The force of the kick was enough to persuade the handle to move and unlock the door. 

“Fucking thank you...stupid door.” 

Slipping inside the Captain began her search for the necessary cargo. In the cargo hold the crates where in such disarray that it was basically a sea of crates broken and tossed around by the crash. 

“Well that’s just fantastic.” Vinity sighed, running her hands through her white hair in frustration. It’d be easier to lower crates that were in good condition, and that meant she’d have to search through this mess to find ones that weren’t smashed open. And so the search began.

~Six Hours Later~ 

“How’s it looking?” Vinity yelled from the door as she held with all her strength onto a rope attached to one of the crates from the hold. Having successfully lowered the other two crates, this would the last one she’d have deal with. 

“A little lower! Almost there!” Daniel called back. Since he was itching to make himself useful he volunteered to help guide the Captain as she lowered them. 

Vinity put a little more slack in the line as she heard Daniel’s callouts, just a little more and then the Captain could let go. There was a pain in her back from the strain of having to hold up the crates of supplies. The boxes weren’t light, they all weighed roughly a hundred and fifty pounds, give or take a good twenty depending on their contents. The pain was mostly coming from her stitched up wound, it was practically screaming at her to stop what ever torture she was trying to put it through. 

The a little more slack in the line, a little closer the crate grew to the ground. However after a few more inches of rope Vinity felt something tear in her lower back followed by overwhelming pain. Forcing her to let go of the rope and fall backwards onto the floor, the crate dropped too the ground with a loud wooden thud. Smashing and leaking it’s contents, medical supplies, onto the ground. 

“Fucking fuck!” The Captain cried, her back was on fire. The stitching of her wound had come undone. With nothing to hold the torn skin together it simply pulled apart again. Knowing Allison needed to tend to this, the Captain fought through the pain in order to stand up. 

“Are you alright up there.” Allison called to her wife, worried that something major had happened. Immediately relieved to see her lover’s head poke out from the door way. 

“I...mmm...yeah, everything is just peachy.” Vinity replied with a small amount of attitude, not intentionally though. 

Grabbing one of her chain blades, she slammed it into the side of the ship. Using the chains to lower her self to a safe dropping distance. Once down she tried to take a step, but her back simply wasn’t having it. Instantly she was on her knees in the a good deal of pain. This time it wasn’t just the cut, it was everything. A Lack of sleep, the soreness from the fall, no food, and her now re-opened wound. Allison wasted no time in gently helping her up, before walking her over to their make shift bed. 

“What’s wrong, Snow?” Allison asked gently, combing her fingers through her lover’s hair. Smiling as Vinity released a shaky sigh. 

“Everything...I’m hungry, tired, sore, ugh and that stupid fucking cut isn’t making things any better.” The slayer growled while clenching her hands into fists. 

Allison moved to sit down next to the Captain, then she reached around to her back. Peeling back the gauze, the doctor was greeted by the all too familiar sight of fresh blood. Taking a few seconds to analyze the injury for anything new. 

“It doesn’t look any worse than it did before. I’ll just have to stitch it back up.” The noirette said lightly, “Here, let’s get you out of that armor and laying down on the cot.”

Having a good deal of experience with the slayer’s armor, after having helped remove it on nights when Vinity was too weak or tired to get it off easily. Allison was able strip her wife down to just her undergarments with relative easy, and have her splayed on the cot in less than three minutes. With steady hands she worked to close the wound and help easy her wife’s misfortune. Something she was more than willing to do without complaint or fuss this time. Vinity had been through a good deal in the past day, it was only right to do so. Plus she was her wife. 

Finishing her sewing, Allison closed up her satchel and left to let her sweet slayer get much needed rest. Vinity gently closed her eyes and let the black void of sleep take her. 

A couple hours later, the Captain was woken up by movement on the cot. Opening her eyes she was met with the sight of Allison climbing into bed with her. Admittedly it was a bit awkward with the cot being suited for only one person. However, the Captain didn’t mind, all she really cared about was that she could cuddle up to the woman she loved. 

“Mmm, a lovely pillow.” Vinity mumbled, adjusting herself so her head rested on Allison’s chest. 

“You’re welcome. A thank you would be nice, dear.” Allison whispered, as she leaned down to softly kiss the top of her slayer’s head. 

“Mmmmmm, thank you.” 

“Anytime, my love.” The doctor giggled quietly, running her hands through white hair. A very soothing sensation, easing the stronger woman into an even deeper sleep than before. 

“Anytime.”

~End~


End file.
